Singapore Premier League: Albirex Niigata march on as Tampines slip up
Defending champions thrash Young Lions to maintain unbeaten run, as second-placed Stags slump to damaging defeat
SINGAPORE — A big reason for the recent successes of Albirex Niigata (Singapore) in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) has been their consistency. Even with personnel changes every season, the White Swans have been able to win matches with clockwork regularity amid their title triumphs.
Over the weekend, their consistency continues to serve them well, as they kept up their unbeaten run while title challengers stumble in the final stretch of the season.
Albirex eased to a 5-0 win over bottom-placed Young Lions on Saturday (22 July), and saw their lead widen to three points - with a game in hand - as second-placed Tampines Rovers crashed 2-3 against Geylang International on the same day.
With only five matchweeks left in the season, Albirex stay in the driver's seat to retain their SPL title, even as Tampines and third-placed Lion City Sailors threatened to dethrone them earlier in the season.
Against the Young Lions, Albirex stormed to a 3-0 lead inside 25 minutes, as forward Keito Komatsu helped himself to a quick hat-trick with goals in the sixth, 15th and 23rd minutes.
Thereafter, it was a stroll in the park for the defending champions as they consolidated their lead and added goals from Hilman Norhisam (67th minute) and Shunsaku Kishimoto (82nd). The hapless Young Lions also saw two players sent off before half-time: defender Aqil Yazid and midfielder Haziq Kamarudin.
Damaging 2-3 loss for Tampines
Tampines, who were level on points with Albirex but having played one more match before Saturday's kickoff, needed to beat Geylang to keep apace with the league leaders.
However, they went behind in the 35th minute, when Geylang defender Akmal Azman's speculative long-range shot took an unfortunate deflection off Yasir Hanapi into goal. Things got worse for the Stags when defender Irfan Najeeb got a straight red card for a wild lunge on Ahmad Syahir in the 51st minute.
After Yushi Yamaya made it 2-0 for Geylang in the 53rd minute, Yasir pulled Tampines level with goals in the 61st and 83rd minutes. Just as it had looked as if the Stags will settle for an unsatisfactory draw, up came defender Rio Sakuma to scored Geylang's winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and put a major dent on Tampines' title hopes.
On Friday, the Sailors snapped their damaging two-match losing run with a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Tanjong Pagar United at Bishan Stadium.
As often was the case this season, it was their Belgian star Maxime Lestienne who was key in their eventual win, as he scored twice (12th and 81st) before Shawal Anuar completed the comeback with a looping header in the 86th minute, Tanjong Pagar scored through Syukri Bashir (35th) and Akram Azman (64th).
Fourth-placed Balestier Khalsa saw their four-match winning run come to an end on Saturday at Bishan Stadium, as they slumped 1-3 to sixth-placed Hougang United.
Goals from Dorde Maksimovic (53rd) and Kristijan Krajcek (74th and 86th) gave the Cheetahs their second victory on the trot, while Shuhei Hoshino (19th) scored for the Tigers.
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